Homeschooling tasks month by month

Homeschooling tasks month by month. How and what to plan as monthly tasks to keep your homeschool year moving along smoothly.

Every year I end the school year with new plans on how I will change something with our next homeschool year. The crazy thing is I still do this after ten, YES TEN, years of homeschooling.

I think that goes to say either…

1. I’m a hot mess that is at least always trying to improve.

2. You never really arrive, and we can always improve on anything we care to.

That being said I have learned that keeping your school year organized even if only slightly, (I speak as an organizing challenged person), that you will save you a ton of headaches later.

On a side note here, This monthly schedule is based on the traditional August-May school year common in much of the U.S.A. If you homeschool elsewhere or use a different schedule, feel free to adapt this to what works for you.

Homeschool Yearly Planning

When I talk about homeschooling tasks month by month, I am going to start in May. because everything really needs to start in a planning phase.

First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination.
Napoleon Hill

May

As this is really the end of a previous school year, I take this time to think through and plan, even if only in thought.

What you didn’t like, what you would like to change, or something that can be improved.
Is there a major curriculum change you need to look at?
Is there a major schedule change that might improve the school day next year?
Are there any big changes needed to the learning area (school room, furniture, computer, etc)?

June

For us, this is where our summer vacation really starts, while I would like to decompress after a whole year of homeschooling. I have learned short bursts of homeschool prep, keep me from feeling burned out but still on track for starting the next year.

Make lists for all the homeschool curricula you have been pondering since last month.
Set up or establish some sort of homeschool budget for the year.
Start purchasing curriculum where you can (watch for sales summer can be great here).
Put last year’s curriculum away somewhere it can be pulled out later when/if needed.

July

Remind yourself to take it piece by piece, Rome wasn’t built in a day, your homeschool year doesn’t need to be either.

Buy any and all remaining curriculum still needed.
Start collection supplies, pencils at the store here, erasers there.
Acquire and new furniture, chairs, desks, lockers (local school will often sell off unneeded items during the summer months, check local Facebook groups or classifieds).
Find or print a homeschool planner. This is the one I use (I like reprintable things that save money, who doesn’t need that right now?)
Start thinking about the schedule you would like to follow.

August

List your homeschooling goals for the year, and include your kids in on this they may have some of their own goals too.
Start a morning routine that will be conducive for the school year.
Easy ways to start the school year post and print off the checklist
Now is the time to get any online Homeschooling membership-type things activated (and often you can find sales at this time). I love Notebooking Pages as an online homeschooling resource.

September

For us we start our school year in August technically, however, September is when we really start to dive in and really start learning.

Start your year if this is the time you do so, but step in slowly, hey that’s some of the benefits of homeschooling.
Evaluate how things are going or if things need to be adjusted. I have been 3/4 of the way through September and decided a math curriculum was not working for my kids and changed courses at that point.

October

October is usually an easy month as far as homeschooling goes, however, I do find that October is a place I will often make changes if something isn’t working as I had hoped.

Cruise along
Take a short break
Change anything that needs a change

November

Though not a Homeschool Organization task November is a great month for building a thankful tree.
Check to see your progress towards your homeschooling goals for the year (does anything need to be changed to meet that goal?)
Keep an eye out for books or homeschool curriculum sales (Black Friday, holiday sales, etc), remember a penny saved is a penny earned, and it will take the load off that issue later.

December

This is time to look forward to a little break, So plan it and enjoy that time.

Do any extra grading or record-keeping if needed.
Evaluate your goals for the year and adjust if needed.
Take a break.

January

It’s now the downhill portion, you are on the second half of the journey. That’s something to look at take a breath, reflect and be proud of.

Realign back to your school schedule, routine and habits slowly at first if need be.
Begin to implement any new steps or goals for the year.

February

At this point in the year, it’s ok to start asking yourself questions. How has this year worked so far? Did you like how things went?

Keep thoughts in your mind.
Just continue on.

March

This month your reach another traditional landmark. Being this is where many traditional schools and public schools take spring break, it also marks 3/4 of the year. If you take a break, great, but start thinking about your next step.

Talk to your kids and ask what they liked or didn’t like, and what they would like to change or do differently.
Check-in with your goals to see if you are on track.

April

By this time I am sure you have begun to formulate plans for next year.

Read books on homeschooling issues that may challenge you.
Look for homeschooling conventions put them on your calendar and plan accordingly.
Keep an eye out for sales on next year’s curriculum.

May

This is the end, so plan for a fun month.

Plan for a field trip or a few.
Have your kids plan a play or reenact something they learned in history. (We have reenacted ancient Ireland, dressed up, painted up, made weapons the whole works)!
Plan a big end-of-the-year hoorah. I like scavenger hunts or treasure hunts complete with clues they must find using something learned over the year. I have used Egyptian hieroglyphs as clues, or something similar.
If you have good weather have a camp out for the last week or something else that gets your kids excited.
Take pictures you will want them (I also recommend scrapbooking or having a “yearbook” made of your school year, you’ll thank me later).

Homeschooling doesn’t have to be hard, but planning a few homeschool tasks month by month can help you stay on track, avoid burnout, and keep your whole school year flowing smoothly from year to year.

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Beth

Beth is a mother of 6 living on a handful of acres in an old farmhouse in central Kansas. Beth has a background in the military and health and fitness however her passions come from her homestead life. Beth is an enthusiastic homeschooling mom, avid organic gardener, chicken & goat wrangler, who is obsessed with herbs and natural remedies and maintaining an all-around Do-It-Yourself lifestyle. Beth loves to share all she has learned about and sustainable living. While striving for a healthy, natural life, family-centered life.